Zidovudine (AZT) is now a marketed product which is approved for the management of humans with symptomatic HIV infections (AIDS and advanced ARC). U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,232 issued Feb. 9, 1988 with claims to the treatment of AIDS and ARC using AZT.
The present invention is to a compound 1-(3-azido-2,3-dideoxy-.beta.-D-erythropentofuranosyl)-5-methyl-2(1H)-pyri midinone which when systemically administered to a mammal permits the mammal, e.g., a human, to generate (form) zidovudine in vivo to treat the HIV infection or other infection, e.g., a gram-negative bacterial infection.